One year on - recovery after the tsunami
On December 26, 2005, members of Action by Churches Together (ACT) International including AngliCORD mark one year of responding to a disaster of unimaginable proportions - the tsunami that struck the eastern coastal regions of South and South East Asia and parts of Africa .
Within hours of the disaster, which unleashed the tsunami that killed as many as 230,000 and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless, ACT members in India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka mobilized relief-assistance teams through their local partner networks.
This response included helping to identify and remove bodies of people killed in the disaster, and launching the relief response that still continues.
The response in Australia was also rapid and generous. Donations from Anglicans across Australia for AngliCORD's tsunami appeal topped $880,000.
These funds are being utilised through the Action by Churches Together network in Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia.
In the aftermath of a disaster of this scale and scope, it quickly became clear that relief and rehabilitation and long-term development programs would be fraught with challenges and difficulties, given the unprecedented loss of life and the destruction.
A year after the tsunami, the story of the humanitarian response is a difficult one, as thousands of people are still without permanent homes and many more are struggling to make ends meet.
AngliCORD is committed to the long-term recovery efforts in tsunami-affected areas, and funds will continue to be dedicated towards rehabilitation programs until 2006 at least.
The interim director of the Geneva ACT Coordinating Office, Jenny Borden, says:
“Despite great needs in these complicated situations with multiple donors, consultation processes with governments and beneficiaries have taken longer than anticipated.”
While in the very early days after the tsunami, relief supplies were mobilized very quickly, Borden says, she adds that “the development of long-term plans with full consultation with beneficiaries and agreements with local governments and coordination with other donors is a lengthy process.”
The past year has seen an outpouring of financial support for the survivors of the tsunami, with ACT members having been able to assist thousands of people in efforts big and small to re-establish lives and livelihoods.
“Involving beneficiaries has to be a priority in all of our programs,” says Borden. “Finding ways to engage them in rebuilding their lives, both physically and emotionally, is something that has to be done relatively slowly for it to be sustainable.”
A varied and holistic response with long term goals
The ACT appeal for US$103 million for assistance to people in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Somalia includes relief and rehabilitation activities in the sectors of shelter, livelihood, education, water and sanitation and disaster preparedness.
Assistance has covered, among others, distribution of food, clothing, bedding, kitchen utensils, kerosene stoves, boats, engines and other equipment, fishing nets, helping repair boats and motors, initiating food and cash programs, and providing facilities and counseling for children.
Longer-term plans by local ACT members aim at strengthening local capacity, thereby alleviating the suffering of the most vulnerable tsunami survivors. Building resilient communities by assisting people in re-establishing livelihoods and through income generation is an important goal that goes beyond taking care of people's immediate needs—a crucial part of the work ACT members do in the crisis phase of any emergency.
Key areas of work are now focusing on long-term recovery, such as the construction of permanent housing, assisting people in getting back to work, preparing for future disasters and helping the most vulnerable.
Program highlights
In India, the Church Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) has provided life support for 50 000 households, including cooked food, temporary shelter, and relief kits, since December 26th.
Nutrition has been boosted for 63 000 households over the past year, through both dry ration kits and cash-for-food programs. Psychosocial care has been provided for 8 000 people, and primary health care for 3 200 in the Nicobar and Andaman Islands. Education support, including the distribution of 845 educational-support kits.
In India, ACT members Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA), Lutheran World Service-India (LWSI) and The United Evangelical Lutheran Church of India (UELCI) are responding in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Pondicherry.
In Indonesia, Church World Service Indonesia have provided life support to 150,000 people through food and relief kits. CWS have focused on boosting small businesses and livelihood recovery, with support to 694 heads of households. Water and sanitation has been provided for more than 18,500 people, including through the construction or rehabilitation of latrines, wells and boreholes. Psycho-social care has been provided to more than 4,000 people.
In Indonesia, ACT members Church World Service-Indonesia (CWS), Yakkum Emergency Unit (YEU), and Yayasan Tanggul Bencana Indonesia (YTBI) are responding in Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, Aceh Barat, Nagan Raya, Aceh Utara, Nias, and Aceh Jaya.
In Sri Lanka, the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) is coordinating the work of a number of church-based agencies and churches.
Emergency food and relief supplies were provided to more than 8,400 households. Income generation support has been provided to more than 6,700 people, including through seed capital, training, and materials. Temporary shelter has been provided for more than 18,000 households.
At village level, community “befrienders” have been trained and placed in affected communities to ensure the most effective programs are developed.
Educational support through more than 3,900 educational kits have been provided, and additional tuition and seminars have been provided for children whose schooling was interrupted.
In the north of Sri Lanka, the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India (JDCSI), including life support for more than 7,000 households with food and relief items. Temporary shelter has been provided for 365 families
In Sri Lanka, ACT member National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) is responding in the Wanni region in Killinochchi and Mullaittivu, and in Thirukovil, Ampara, Trinco, Muttur, Batticaloa, Galle, Matara, Tangalle, Hambantota, Colombo, Kalutara, Wattala and Negambo. The Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India (JDCSI) is responding in Jaffna and Mullaittivu.
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